Vibe talked with the two educated entrepreneurs who are responsible for Panini ’ s existence . Mr . Shafqat Rahman and Shahrier Akbar were very keen on sharing insights , motivational advices and challenges they faced .
Vibe talked with the two educated entrepreneurs who are responsible for Panini ’ s existence . Mr . Shafqat Rahman and Shahrier Akbar were very keen on sharing insights , motivational advices and challenges they faced .
Photos by : Tashrif Hossain
Vibe : How did you become interested to pursue your career as an entrepreneur ?
Shafqat Rahman : While working for British Telecom for more than 3 years in London , I realized I had the right exposure to the business world and gathered enough experience by then to run my own business . My family is into business as well so I always knew I was going to be an entrepreneur one day .
Shahrier Akbar : After working in Texas as a Certified Public Accountant for the past eight years , I always had a passion to come back to Bangladesh and utilize my business acumen to start a business in my community .
Vibe : Why did you specifically choose the food sector to work with ?
SA : I ' ve always felt that the number one pastime in Bangladesh has been eating out at different restaurants . As the United States is a melting pot for many peoples and cultures I was able to experience many types of foods , even becoming a " foodie " myself . Ultimately I wanted to be able to bring a unique taste to Bangladesh through a cultural infusion from Italy , the birthplace of the name of my restaurant Panini , which is a pressed toasted sandwich .
Vibe : What were the necessary activities undertaken before opening Panini ?
SA : After doing much research , I had to decide on a perfect location viable for sustaining a successful business . In addition , I performed market surveys to become more informed regarding what fresh and new tastes Bangladeshis would be interested in experiencing . After completing a complex business plan , I decided to move forward with opening Panini . Although it has been a tremendous amount of work with hiring chefs , servers , and additional appropriate personnel , the first two months have really been fulfilling .
Vibe : What qualities or qualifications do you feel an entrepreneur will need in starting up in a market such as yours ?
SR : It ’ s very simple . You need to have a clear vision of what you want to do . Later it ’ s all about how you chase your dream and how hard working you are . And something you must not forget – you need to be SMART ! ( sustainable , measurable , attainable , reliable , time-bound )
Vibe : What are the most challenging aspects / assignments / tasks in running a restaurant ?
SR : Maintain quality standards of food and customer service . Inventory happens to be a major issue if not monitored properly . Waiting Staff in Dhaka don ’ t really take ownership of their employment properly hence the lacking and inefficiency is sometimes reflected on their work , so giving them the right training , knowledge and keeping them motivated is a challenge itself .
SA : In general , restaurants require prior experience or knowledge of basic restaurant accounting . One challenge at Panini is ensuring that we achieve the appropriate numbers required for profitability . Without the initial capital and the necessary know-how , some restaurants may not make enough to stand on their own . My experience and preparation in budgeting , purchasing and managing the hefty costs that come with the territory is very essential . Another challenge is sticking to the business plan even in times of uncertainty , and taking responsibility for the overwhelming goal of achieving profitability .
Vibe : Many graduates , these days , are choosing entrepreneurship over jobs . What do you think are the reasons behind that ?
SA : There are many reasons nowadays for youngsters to contemplate entrepreneurship . I would have to caution that some may have a false sense of how easy it is to start their own business and quickly generate income . If money is the initial driver then I would have to tell them to reevaluate their short term goals . To be a successful entrepreneur there will be many sleepless nights at the beginning and lots of hard work . Being an entrepreneur is a very rewarding experience , but for the right individual with the right combination of passion and determination .
Vibe : Anything for the readers ? SR : It ’ s not bad to be your own boss , so be it !
SA : Yes !!! This year , students who show a valid student ID will be given a 10 % discount on their final bill .
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